Majestic Beauty – Arabian and Andalusian Horses [36 pics]

Andalusian’s most common coat color is gray, although they can be found in many other colors. They are known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Introduction

Wojtek Kwiatkowski’s majestic photography of Arabian and Andalusian horses take our breath away. He is an author and a publisher of books about Arabians breeding all over the world. he is also a WAHO (World Arabian Horse Organization) consultant for Arabians pedigrees (Poland, Hungary, Wail/Germany). He have many years of experience in the field. For about 25 years he has gathered a wide photographic record library of the breeding in Poland. He states: “I passionately love Arabian horses and try to capture their beauty and soul in my pictures”

The Arabian or Arab horse, is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses that resemble modern Arabians dating back 4,500 years.

The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse, is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation has changed very little over the centuries. [36 pictures]

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Arabian horses have refined, wedge-shaped heads, a broad forehead, large eyes, large nostrils, and small muzzles. Most display a distinctive concave or “dished” profile. Many Arabians also have a slight forehead bulge between their eyes, called the jibbah by the Bedouin, that adds additional sinus capacity, believed to have helped the Arabian horse in its native dry desert climate. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Throughout history, Arabian horses spread around the world by both war and trade, used to improve other breeds by adding speed, refinement, endurance, and strong bone. Today, Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed of riding horse. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

It has been known for its prowess as a war horse, and was prized by the nobility. The breed was used as a tool of diplomacy by the Spanish government, and kings across Europe rode and owned Spanish horses. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Fiery war horses with dished faces and high-carried tails were popular artistic subjects in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, often depicted pulling chariots in war or for hunting. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians dominate the sport of endurance riding because of their stamina. They are the leading breed in competitions such as the Tevis Cup that can cover up to 100 miles (160 km) in a day, and they participate in endurance events worldwide Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Another breed characteristic with Arabian horses is an arched neck with a large, well-set windpipe set on a refined, clean throatlatch. This structure of the poll and throatlatch was called the mitbah or mitbeh by the Bedouin. In the best Arabians it is long, allowing flexibility in the bridle and room for the windpipe. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Like other hot-bloods, Arabians’ sensitivity and intelligence enable quick learning and greater communication with their riders; however, their intelligence also allows them to learn bad habits as quickly as good ones,and they do not tolerate inept or abusive training practices.Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Although many Arabians appear “white”, they are not. A white hair coat is usually created by the natural action of the gray gene, and virtually all “white” Arabians are actually grays. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

A Bedouin story states that Allah created the Arabian horse from the four winds; spirit from the North, strength from the South, speed from the East, and intelligence from the West. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

At the 2002 World Equestrian Games, two Andalusians were on the bronze-medal winning Spanish dressage team, a team that went on to take the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics (not the team in the image). Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Prices skyrocketed, especially in the United States, with a record-setting public auction price for a mare named NH Love Potion, who sold for $2.55 million in 1984, and the largest syndication in history for an Arabian stallion, Padron, at $11,000,000 (neither in this picture). Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Arabians are versatile horses that compete in many equestrian fields, including horse racing, the horse show disciplines of saddle seat, Western pleasure, and hunt seat, as well as dressage, cutting, reining,endurance riding, show jumping, eventing, youth events such as equitation, and others. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

The dramatic appearance of the Andalusian horse, with its arched neck, muscular build and energetic gaits, has made it a popular breed to use in film, particularly in historical and fantasy epics. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

Andalusians have been present in films ranging from Gladiator to Interview with a Vampire, and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life to Braveheart. The horses have also been seen in such fantasy epics as The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, King Arthur, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Image Credit: Wojtek Kwiatkowski

These are all such beautiful photo. I love Arabians and use to enjoy riding them. I wish I had taken pictures of them, because now, in my retirement I paint and am no longer in an area where I can find horses in action to photograph. Would you mind if I used some of the photos for references. I would be willing to send you a print of the finished painting if you would like.

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